Universal joint



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\ C. W. VVEISS UN IIII SAL JOINT Filed Feu.18, 1927. zsheets-sheet 1 IN VEN TUI? ATTO/MIEL? .my 17, 41928n C. W. WEISS UNIVERSAL` JOINT 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Feb. 18, 1927 I Y n [NVE/V703 ww A UUR/JEM' Patented July i7, d19:28.

CARL W. WEISS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. i

UNIVERSAL JOINT.

Application led February4 18, 1927. Serial No. 169,151. v

.This invention .relates to universal joints of the character of that shown in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,522,351, dated January 6, 1925, in which the two members capable of relative angular vdisplacement have the proximate faces of their co-acting portions formed with non-concentric grooves with their longitudinal axes intersecting at an angle, and with a ball or other relatively movable body received partly in 'each' of such grooves and through which force is transmitted from one co-acting portion to the other. In the form of joint shown in said Letters Patent, the two members ofthe joint can be displaced relatively in an axial direction unless a shell or housing is provided, the balls or movable bodies themselves offering no resistance to the separation of the members in an axial d1- rection but passing out of the open ends of the intersecting grooves when the two portions are separated.

The object of the present invention is to provide for such construction of a .joint having the characteristics above mentloned that the balls or relatively movable bodies shall themselves prevent the separation of the members, rendering unnecessary the provision of a shell or housing for this purpose. In accordance with the invention there is provided a circular abutment which restrains the balls or movable bodies from movement in a radial direction with respect to the axis of the joint so that the balls or movable bodies, through their engagement with the non-concentric grooves, prevent the separation of the members of the joint. Such circular abutment is internal or external with respect to the orbit of the balls, according to the inclination of the non-concentric grooves in the proximate faces of the co-act-ing portions of the two members.

The invention will be more fully explained hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal, sectional elevation of a joint which .embodies lone form of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view of the same in transverse sectional elevation, the non-concentrlc grooves in this instance being inclined 1nwardly toward the axis of the joint.

Figures 3 and 4 are views resnectivelv similar to Figures l and 2, but showing a different form of the circular abutment within the orbit of the balls. Figures 5` and 6 are views respectively similar to Figures 1 and 2, but showing an embodiment of the invention in a joint in which the intersectin grooves are inclined outwardly or away rom the axis of the joint and the circular abutmentis external to the orbit of the balls. v

l to number and arrangement of coacting parts of each member, driving and driven. the construction of the improved joint will be governed by place and conditions of use. As shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the driving member a is formed with two linger-like portions or project-ions a with radial faces 'and designed to 'co-act with corresponding finger-like portions or projections 1) of the driven member and the inter-secting non-concentric grooves .as and 6*" inl the proximate faces of the co-acting portions a and b are inclined inwardly, from their closed ends to their open ends, toward the axis of the joint, each relatively movable body or ball f lyin partly in the corresponding groove a3 an partly in the corresponding groove b3, as in the construction shown in Said Letters Patent. 1n the present construction, however, each groove a3 and bs is cut through the corresponding co-acting portion a' and b toward the axis PATE-NT orifice.

of the joint so that the ball may protrude A through the open side thereof and havea bearing against a circular abutment which, in this instance, is disposed within the orbit of the balls. In the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2, the circular abutment is formed by the two parts being each slight y less than a. half sphere and being held yieldingly together by a screw d2 with a spring da interposed between the head of the screw and the recess formed to receive it, this construction providing for easy adjustment and for the taking up of wear. In this construction the driving member a is formed as a sleeve pinned on the driving shaft c and the driven member b is likewise formed as a sleeve which is pinned on the driven shaft c. The proximate ends of the two shafts are formed with spherical seats, as at c, to receive the a grooved two-part s here d. d',-

, bear in the angular displacement of the two members. In assemblin the joint of this form the two members o the joint are brought together with the balls f inplacc in the grooves as, b3 ywith the member d of the circular abutment also in pla-ce and with the member a of the joint not yet pinned on the shaft c as shown but free to move.

Then, the balls f being pressed outwardly,.

the member d of the spherical bearing 1s placed in position, together with the. spring and screw, the latter being turned up to give the desired pressure, and the member of the joint is pinned on the driven shaft c. It will be noted that the internal diameter of the sleeve member b is such as to permit the introduction therethrough of the member d of the spherical bearin It will now be understood that any re ative movement of thetwo members of the joint which tends to separate them will tend also, through the inward inclination of the grooves a3, b3, to move both diametrically opposed balls in the same direct-lon and that as relative movement of. the balls toward each other is resisted by the circular abutment formed by the sphere d, d', the balls themselves will resist and prevent any separatin movement of the two members of the joint y reason of Athe coaction of the nonconcentric grooves .with the balls.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 3 and 4, the two members a and b are formed with co-acting ortions a', b', and with inwardly incline intersectin grooves a, b3 in proximate faces thereo The member a is shown as keyed on the driving shaft cs and the member b as having a tapered fit on the driven shaft c. At the end of the driving shaft 4c, but independent thereof, is laced a concavely conical member 034, to orm the internal circular abutment for the balls which bear thereon and are thereby hel from movement toward each other and so prevent the separation of the members of the joint by reason of the 'coactionv of the -non-concentric grooves with the balls. The member d* bears at one end. against the end of the shaft cs and at the other end has a conical head which is receivedv in a conical seat formed in a member c", which bears against the end of the shaft e* -and is movable transversely to a limited extent, having a diameter less than the internal diameter of the member b at that struction, t e member a of the joint may be secured to the driving shaft c and the two members a and b may then be placed in operative relation. The balls f may then be introduced through the'lbore of the member b and pressed into the grooves a, b',

and thereafter the tapered and reduced member d and sphericalseat c* may be inoint. In assembling this controduced in the bore of` the member b, the

member d holding the balls in their places and forming a circular abutment to prevent radial movement of the balls, in this case toward the axis of the joint, the coaction of the non-concentric grooves with the balls,

which are thus held from displacement toward each other, preventing any separating movement of the two members of the joint.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 5 and 6, the members a and b5 of the joint are formed as before, with c0- acting portions a and b- (in this case with four such portions each) and the grooves as and b3 are inclined outwardly, away from the axis of the bearing, and are cut away on'the outside so as to permit the balls f to rotrude externally. In this instance, thereore, it is necessary to provide an external circular abutment to prevent radial movement of the balls outwardly. This is formed, in this instance, of a two-part raceway g, split circumferentially and suitably grooved internally for co-action with the balls f, and a suitable housing h to hold the two parts of the racewa to ether. In this construction the extremity o the driven shaft c@ is shown as threaded, as at d, to receive a sleeve d', on which is mounted an annular, spherical bearing member d", concentric with the center of the joint, on which the members a and J9? of. the joint may bear. Inassembling this construction the two members of the bearing are brought into operative relation, the balls f are placed in the grooves,

the s lit raceway g is applied, and the housing is sprung or bentover the two-part raceway relation. The external abutment formed by the raceway g prevents displacement of the diametrically opposite balls from each other and the coaction of the inner walls of the concentric grooveswith the balls thus held from relative displacement, .prevents separation of the two members. l

It will beobvious that various changes in details of construction and arrangement may be made to suit dierent conditlons of use and that the invention, except as pointed out in the claims, is not limited to any of the particular constructions shown and described herein. Y

I claim as my invention :l

1.` A universaljoint having two members capable of relative angular dis lacement and having'co-acting portions wit their proximate faces formed wvit-h non-concentric grooves, two diametrically opposed movable bodies received partly in each of such grooves.

said movable bodies to prevent relative displacementthere'of in a radial plane.

2. A universal joint having tWO members to hold thetwo parts in operativeV capa-ble of relative angular displacement and havlng co-acting portlons with their proximate faces formed with non-concentric grooves with their longitudinal axes interseating at an angle, two diametrically opposed movable bodies received partly in each of such grooves and through which force is transmitted from one (zo-acting portion to the other, and means to prevent relative displacement of such movable bodies in a radial plane.

3. A universaljoint having two members capable of relative angular displacement and having co-acting portions with their proximate faces formed with non-concentric 15 grooves with their longitudinal axes intersecting at an angle, two diametrically op-4 posed movable bodies received partly 1n each of such grooves and through which force is transmitted from one co-acting portion to the other, and a circular abutment forming a bearing for said movable bodies to prevent relative displacement thereof in a radial plane. l l

This specification signed this 14V day of 25 February, A. D., 1927.

CARL W. WEISS. 

